


If These Walls Could Talk

by laykay



Category: The Morning Show (TV 2019)
Genre: F/F, a lot of chaotic bi energy, drunk alex, slightly less drunk Bradley, takes place after the season finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:07:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22299052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laykay/pseuds/laykay
Summary: Alex and Bradley leave the studio and escape the paparazzi to Bradley's hotel
Relationships: Bradley Jackson/Alex Levy
Comments: 8
Kudos: 50





	If These Walls Could Talk

Alex paused as she and Bradley headed towards the front door of the UBA building, Bradley looked at her, opening her mouth to ask what was wrong then she saw it through the glass doors. A throng of people crowded onto the sidewalk, cameras and microphones ready, bulbs already flashing as they photographed into the lobby.

Bradley faced the doors, taking a deep breath as she squared her shoulders. She’d already had a handful of run-ins with paparazzi during her early days on TMS, but not like this. She couldn’t just walk past them, hood up and head down. It didn’t help that her hands were still shaking after what had happened in the studio.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up at Alex, who looked relaxed. “I’ve got you,” Alex whispered. “Don’t talk to them, don’t look at them.”

“I know.”

Bradley almost felt Alex smile at the squeak in her voice. “I’ve got you,” she said again before they started moving towards the door. Bradley had to remind herself to pick up her feet. Falling on her face in front of cameras was the last thing she needed.

The doors pushed open, both women became temporarily blinded by the flashing lights, but Alex led them through the crowd, pulling open the back door of the waiting black SUV, pushing Bradley in then climbing in behind her.

“Move! Bradley’s hotel. Now,” Alex ordered as soon as the door was closed.

“What’re you doing?” Bradley asked as the car slowly pulled away, people trying to photograph into the car.

“I’m not leaving you to get fed to the wolves. Not now. Not after everything.”

Bradley released a breath, nodding. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

Alex nodded, reaching over to put her hand over Bradley’s, softly squeezing her fingers, making Bradley raise an eyebrow. “Sometimes partners hold hands.”

“Thanks,” Bradley said again. “Oh, fuck,” she muttered as her hotel came into view, paparazzi were camped out and waiting.

“Go around the back,” Alex told the driver. “You’ll go in through the kitchen door, okay?” She dialed a number into her phone, speaking quickly to hotel security to tell them the plan.

Bradley nodded, watching the street disappear as the car turned down an alley. “You need to come inside,” she said after Alex hung up her phone

Alex shook her head. “I’ll be fine.”

“No, if it’s this bad here, I can only imagine what’s outside your apartment.”

“I’m used to it,” she told her, sounding exhausted.

Bradley turned to open the door, then shook her head. “No. You’re coming with me.”

“Brad…”

“We’re partners,” Bradley interrupted. “We’re partners, so let me help you. Just until this dies down.”

Alex scoffed, rolling her eyes. 

“Ariana Grade’s gonna be in town tomorrow. Maybe she’ll lick another donut.”

At that, Alex laughed. “Yeah, okay,” she finally said, pushing open her own door.

They walked to the large steel door, being held open for them by a hotel employee. None of the kitchen employees looked up as a security guard led them through and out the double doors.

“We’re fine,” Bradley said as the guard walked them through the dining room, into the lobby.

The man shook his head. “I have orders to see you to your room, ma’am.”

Bradley nodded silently, getting onto the elevator with the security guard and Alex then following him to her room. Both women thanked him as Bradley unlocked the door, releasing a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding as she dropped her bag on the floor. “Drinks?” she asked, not waiting for Alex to answer as she walked to the cart. “What are you in the mood for? Scotch, gin, rum…”

“Yes,” Alex told her, sounding exhausted as she fell onto the couch.

“Vodka it is.” She picked up the bottle and two glasses, carrying them to the couch and sitting next to Alex before she poured the drinks.

As Bradley offered her one glass, Alex reached around her to pick the bottle up off the table, taking several large gulps.

Bradley blinked, then shrugged. “Well, okay then.” She combined the two glasses into one and began drinking.

Alex cleared her throat. “We might have lost our jobs. Everyone might have lost their jobs.” She sighed, lifting the bottle to her lips. 

“You don’t know that.”

Alex almost laughed. “Yeah. Yeah, I do. Like Joe. Joe who I don’t know. He might lose his job. He could be married, could have kids. I don’t know because I never bothered to ask.”

“Well, he did just start last week. A lot of people don’t know him.”

“Really?”

“No, I have no idea how long he’s been there. I’m just trying to make you feel better.”

“Yeah, thanks.” 

Bradley watched as Alex took another long drink, watching the liquid slosh around the clear bottle. The bottle was almost full when she’d picked it, but was now nearly half empty. “Gimme that,” she said as Alex started to lift the bottle again. She had to pry it out of her hand, finally taking it from her and putting it on the table again.

Alex closed her eyes, leaning her head against the back of the couch. “How did everything get so fucked up?” she asked softly.

“I don’t know. The good news is, it’s not completely your fault.”

“Shut up.”

Bradley smiled then reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of Alex’s face, her eyes sprang open to look at her. Bradley quickly pulled her hand back as if she’d been burnt. “Sorry,” she muttered.

Alex just stared at her, blinking slowly before she reached for the bottle again and took a quick drink then placed the bottle back on the table. “Tell me something, Bradley Jackson,” she said as she turned to look at her, somehow using her reporter voice even as she began slurring her words. “Have you ever kissed a girl?”

Bradley’s eyebrows shot up. “Where did that come from?” she asked with a laugh.

Alex shrugged one shoulder. “I’m curious. I want to know you better.”

“And you jump to that? No middle name, no favorite color.” She let out a chuckle, her finger moving over the rim of the glass she held. “But yeah, I did. I had a girlfriend, actually. In college.” 

Alex’s face didn’t change. Years of on-air training, Bradley figured, nothing visibly shocked her. “So was it a gay for the stay situation?”

Bradley laughed. “I think I could have loved her, believe it or not.”

Alex nodded, the same polite nod she did during interviews. “So what happened?”

“Maybe you aren’t aware, but the south isn’t exactly known for being the most open-minded place. It just got to be too much. It wasn’t worth it… I wasn’t worth it to her.”

“Bitch,” Alex hiccupped. 

Bradley shrugged, shaking her head as she took a sip of her drink. “It is what it is and it taught me a lesson, about how love is bullshit so why bother. At the end of the day, someone just ends up hurt.”

Alex raised the bottle. “To bullshit love.”

Bradley laughed, raising her glass. “To bullshit love. How about you? Any lesbian affairs I should know about?”

“This is about you.”

“Kinda feels like it’s about you too.”

Alex didn’t answer, taking another drink.

“Maybe you should stop drinking. After all we just went through, I don’t want the next story to be about me dragging you to the ER to get your stomach pumped.”

Alex closed her eyes again, shaking her head. “I just wanna forget. Today. The last few years. Mitch. Fred. All of it.”

“I know. The good news is, at this point, it can’t possibly get any worse.”

“God, I hope not.” Alex released a deep breath as she leaned against the back of the couch, the liquor bottle against her knee.

Bradley watched Alex’s steady breathing then carefully removed the bottle from her hand. “I’m really not in the mood to clean up your puke again,” she muttered.

“You’re good at it.”

“I thought you fell asleep.” Bradley raised an eyebrow then laughed when there was no response.

Alex’s head fell forward a bit, her hair falling into her face. As if on instinct, Bradley pushed her hair back again. “You keep doing that.”

“You keep pretending to be asleep.”

Alex chuckled quickly. “I’m not pretending. I’m just closing my eyes. I like it when you take care of me.”

“I’m right here.”

Alex opened her eyes to look at her. For a moment, she said nothing then she shook her head. “This is a bad idea,” she said, more to herself than Bradley.

“What-” Bradley started, cut off when Alex’s lips landed on hers in a sloppy kiss.

“Fuck!” Alex said, pulling away before Bradley had a chance to react. “What the fuck? Now. After today. What the fuck is wrong with me?”

Bradley blinked, trying to follow Alex’s train of thought. “Nothing’s wrong with you.”

“We just talked about this. About Mitch. Am I like him?”

“Whoa,” Bradley said, shaking her head. “No. Where did that come from?”

“Turning friendly drinks into… something else. Kind of his MO. Trust me, I know.”

It took a second for Alex’s words to register with Bradley, then her mouth fell open. “I’m so sorry,” she said. 

Alex waved a dismissive hand. “I was too drunk to remember it. Maybe that’s a good thing.”

Bradley closed her eyes. “I’m sorry,” was all she could think to say again. “You’re not like him. I won’t lie and say the alcohol doesn’t complicate things, but I also won’t lie and say I didn’t want to kiss you.” She placed a gentle kiss to Alex’s forehead. 

Alex smiled, sitting up a bit straighter to look at Bradley then leaned towards her a bit, suddenly changing course and leaning over to throw up on the floor near Bradley’s feet before her head fell onto her lap.

“I should have seen that coming,” Bradley muttered, rubbing Alex’s back softly as she snored lightly.


End file.
